Rahul takes dig at PM, Adani with mock 'interview' in Parliament premises

NEW DELHI: Leaders of some INDIA bloc parties on Monday protested in Parliament complex over the Adani row, with Rahul Gandhi conducting a mock 'interview' over the issue with Congress members wearing masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani.

Standing outside the Makar Dwar of Parliament, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge along with MPs of other opposition parties raised slogans of "Modi, Adani ek hain" and "we want justice".

After sloganeering, Rahul Gandhi conducted the mock 'interview' with Congress leaders wearing masks of Modi and Adani.

Gandhi asked the party member sporting mask of Adani why Parliament was not being allowed to function to which the Congress MP (posing as Adani) said "we'll have to ask Amit bhai...that man is missing".

Asked by Gandhi about the relationship between the two, the Congress MP said, "We are together".

The Congress leader sporting mask of Adani also said, "He does whatever I say and want... be it airport or anything else."

On why Modi was silent, the Congress MP posing as Adani said, "this man is in tension these days", evoking laughter around.

Asked what was his next plan and what he proposed to buy now, the Congress MP wearing the Adani mask said, "we have not decided yet. We have a meeting this evening."

The Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party were not part of the protest.

However, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav said nothing much should be read into the absence of some leaders and asserted "all is well" in the opposition bloc.

MPs of the Left, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD and NCP were among those who raised slogans and demanded a discussion and a probe into the Adani Group.

The protest took place in front of the steps of Parliament's Makar Dwar and not on the steps leading to it following an advisory by the Lok Sabha Secretariat not to protest on the steps.

The opposition protests on the Adani issue have been taking place inside Parliament complex ever since the start of the winter session.

The Congress and some other opposition parties have been demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe following the indictment of Adani and other company officials in a US court.

The Congress has said Adani's indictment "vindicates" its demand for a JPC probe into the various "scams" involving the billionaire industrialist's conglomerate.

Rahul Gandhi has sought Adani's immediate arrest.

The Adani Group has dismissed all allegations as "baseless".